Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

Sneak Peek: New Stompboxes from Seymour Duncan

A look into Seymour Duncan''s new Twin Tube Blue, Deja Vu Delay, and Double Back Compressor

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Long-time pickup manufacturer Seymour Duncan only recently began designing stompboxes, releasing their first in 2004. In keeping with the company’s expertise, it was designed to boost the output of pickups. The success of the SFX-01 Pickup Booster Gain Boost has carried on and encouraged Seymour Duncan to continue pushing the boundaries of foot-controlled effects.

Since then, Seymour Duncan pedals have included the Tweak Fuzz, Classic and Twin Tube Mayhem, and Shape Shifter. The latest offerings include the Double Back Compressor, allowing you to add uncompressed signal back in; the Déjà Vu Tap Delay, which combines real BBD delay with the horsepower of full featured digital delay; and the Twin Tube Blue, which turns a single channel into a three-channel blues-to-rock monster.

SFX-09 Double Back Compressor

1. True Bypass Switch
All Seymour Duncan stompboxes are true bypass, removing the signal path from the circuit.

2. Sustain Knob
The Sustain Knob determines the length of sustain. With plenty on tap, higher settings can dramatically increase sustain, as well as the natural noise level present in your guitar signal.

3. Attack Knob
The Attack Knob adjusts the attack speed from immediate to 50ms. Use a lower setting to tightly track everything you play, or a higher setting for a smooth, natural-sounding compression.
4. Double Back Knob
One of the most unique features of the Double Back Compressor, the Double Back knob blends in the uncompressed signal to restore some of the dynamics and “feel” lost in compression. The dial allows anywhere from 0 to 34dB of dry signal to be mixed back in to the output.

5. Double Back EQ Switch
Toggles between three Double Back frequency options: “High” (blends only top end so sharp attack and harmonics still come through), “Mid” (blends back mid-range frequencies for fattening up your tone), and “Full” (blends back the full frequency range to enrich overall dynamics).

6. Volume Knob
Used to achieve the desired level balance between the sound through the compressor and the bypassed sound.

Other Features Not Pictured:
Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA)
Compressor type
Compression Ratio adjustable from 1:1 to 20:1.
Distortion less than 0.3% at 300mV RMS output at 1 kHz.



SFX-10 Déjà Vu Tap Delay

1. Tap Tempo Switch
Pressing the Tap Tempo Switch in time with the beat will adjust the delay rate to match the song.

2. Ratio/Delay Time Toggle
Switches between a ratio (see below) and a set delay time.

3. Ratio/Delay Time Knob
Rate Mode: Adjusts the rate of the delay effect, from 32 ms to 6 seconds; fully clockwise enters the Déjà vu’s loop mode.
Ratio Mode: Switches between five distinct tempo subdivisions: 1:1 (half notes), 1.33:1 (dotted eighth notes), 2:1 (quarter notes), 3:1 (triplets), and 4:1 (sixteenth notes).
4. Tempo LED
The “Heartbeat” LED acts as a visual guide to help keep the tempo.

5. Modulation Knob
Lets you add a flanger/chorus effect to the analog delay signal. Sweeps through rate and depth settings on the same knob.

6. Feedback Knob
Dictates how many repeats play before the sound fades away. Fully counter-clockwise allows only one repeat, while moving it clockwise increases the repeats beyond infinity.

7. Digital/Analog Blend Knob
The Blend control sets the level of balance between the warmth of a Bucket Brigade delay and the clean sound of a microprocessor- based digital delay.

8. Active LED
The Active LED lights up when the delay is engaged.

9. Dry/Wet Blend
Dials in the amount of delay heard in relation to the original signal. Hard left will produce dry only while hard right will produce delays only.

10. True Bypass/Trailing Repeats Switch
Switch selectable between hardwire true bypass and electronically switched trailing repeats.

11. True Bypass Switch

Other Features Not Pictured:
Using a volume pedal as a control, you can adjust the level of the delay and/or the amount of repeats.

The Wet Out jack allows a loop to be created after the delays are sent from the unit, allowing effects to be added to the delay trail.



SFX-11 Twin Tube Blue

1. Channel Select Switch
Toggles between Lead and Rhythm channels.

2. Lead Channel Gain Knob
Controls the gain for the Lead channel. Provides varying degrees of overdrive, from bite to super-hot lead tones.

3. Lead Channel Volume Knob
Controls the volume for the Lead channel. Regulates loudness relative to the other channel and to the bypassed sound.


4. Rhythm Channel Gain Knob
Controls the gain for the Rhythm channel. Provides varying degrees of overdrive, from clean tube tone to crunch.


5. Rhythm Channel Volume Knob
Controls the volume for the Rhythm channel. Regulates loudness relative to the other channel and to the bypassed sound.


6. Treble Tone Knob
Controls high frequency content in both channels with greatest effect in the 2 kHz – 20 kHz range.

7. Bass Tone Knob
Controls low frequency in both channels with greatest effect in the 40 Hz – 200 Hz range.

8. True Bypass Switch
Switches between true bypass and the channel activated by the Channel button.

Other Features Not Pictured:
Two premium, subminiature Phillips-Sylvania 6111 dual triode tubes; 100% vacuum tube signal path. Fully encapsulated toroidal transformer.



For more information:
seymourduncan.com